Combined table and desk.



PATENTED OCT. 31, 1905.

E. HIGGINS. COMBINED TABLE AND DESK.

APPLICATION FILED APILZG, 1905.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

Inventor Aftorneys ANDREW s. GRAHAM co. PHDTO-LIYHOGRAPNERS mswwmm u c.

PATENTED OCT. 31. 1905.

E. HIGGINS.

COMBINED TABLE AND DESK.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 26, 1905.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Fly 4 14 Jlnventor Attorney;

Witnesses ANDREW n. mum co enmmuvmawnnmg msmns om 0 cv EDMUND HIGGINS,OF SOLDIERS HOME, CALIFORNIA.

COMBINED TABLE AND DESK.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 31, 1905.

Application filed April 26,1905. Serial No. 257,502.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDMUND HIGGINS, a citizen of the United States,residing at Soldiers Home, in the county of Los Angeles and State ofCalifornia, have invented a new and useful Combined Table and Desk, ofwhich the following is a specification.

This invention relates to reading and writing desks, and has for one ofits objects to provide a novel form of desk on which heavy volumes maybe. easily examined and read without the necessity of bending over thedesk.

A further object of the invention is to'provide a reading or other deskhaving a tiltable top arranged for the support of a book or the like andso arranged that the top may be adjusted to any desired angle in orderthat the upper portions of the leaves of the book may be drawn withinconvenient reading distance, the top being arranged for gradualadjustment as the reading progresses.

A further object of the invention is to provide a novel means forretaining the leaves of the book in flat open position at any requiredpoint.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a combined readingand writing desk in which a writing table or surface is arranged at aconvenient height and normally is concealed within the interior of thedesk in order i that the top of the desk may be used for readsectionalperspective view of the desk.

ing purposes.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a desk of theknockdown variety in which the parts may be readily detached orassembled.

ll ith these and other objects in view, as will 'more fully hereinafterappear, the invention consists in certain novel features of constructionand arrangement of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in theaccompanying drawings, and particularly pointed out in the appendedclaims, it being understood that various changes in the form,proportions, size, and minor details of the structure maybe made withoutdeparting from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of theinvention.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a deskconstructed in accordance with the invention. Fig. 2 is a Fig. 3 is atransverse sectional view of the desk, showing the top tilted forward.Fig. 4 is a similar View showing the writing desk or surface drawn outto position for use. Fig. 5 is a detail sectional view of one of theassembling-bolts, which also serves for the reception of the stem of acaster.

Similar numerals of reference are employed to indicate correspondingparts throughout the several figures of the drawings.

The frame of the desk includes hollow end pedestals 10, which may bemade sufiiciently wide to receive drawers in the usual manner, and thepedestals are united by cross-bars 11, which support a curved partition12, forming a part of the rigid frame. The back 13 of the desk forms apart of the pedestals and is connected to the rear edge of the partition12, while between the two pedestals are horizontally-disposed shelves14: and 15, which strengthen and brace the structure, the lower shelf 15serving also as a foot-rest.

On the curved top of the partition 12 is arranged a tiltable top 17 ofthe desk, said top having a flat upper surface for the reception ofbooks or other articles and with vertical front and rear walls 18 and19, respectively,

that are connected by curved end walls 20, the lower edges of whichfollow the contour of the partition 12, so that when the upper surface17 is in a horizontal position the sides, front, and rear members of thedesk-top will be in alinement with the corresponding members of thefixed portion of the desk, as shown in Fig. 1.

Extending through the vertical inner and outer walls of each of thepedestals 10 is a bolt '22, and the curved surfaces of the partition 12and the ends 20 of the desk-top are struck on lines concentric with theaxis of said bolts. Each bolt forms a pivotal support for an arm 28 theupper end of which is rigidly secured to one of the end walls of thedesk-top, and the latter is thus held and supported independently of thepartition 12 and the remaining portion of the frame proper, so that itmay be swung to any angular position from the horizontal in order that abook or other article on its flat upper face may be brought withinconvenient reading distance.

The partition 12 carries a pair of racks 25, having ratchet-teeth withwhich may engage two pawls 26, that are rigidly connected to arock-shaft 27 adapted to suitable bearings formed in brackets 28 on theinner face of the rear wall of the desk-top. To the shaft 27 are securedrocker-arms 29, that are connected by rods 30 to knobs or handles 31,that are arranged at the front of the desk-top, as

shown in Fig. 1, and by pulling forward on one or both knobs the pawls26 may be lifted from engagement with the racks and the desktop drawnforward to any angular position, and when the desired position has beenreached the knobs are released and the pawls moved into engagement withthe racks, looking the desk-top from further movement. To restore thetop to horizontal position, it is merely necessary to push said topbackward, the pawls clicking over the racks 25.

Near the front edge of the Hat surface 17 of the movable top arearranged openings for the reception of dowel-pins 32, carried by guards33, which are placed in position when a heavy book is being examined.WVhen these guards are not in use, they may be readily detached andplaced in a slidable drawer 34, carried by the desk-top, the drawerserving also as a receptacle for maps or other articles.

In order to hold the books opened flat for examination, a winding-drum35 is arranged within the desk-top, said drum carrying a flexible cordor tape 36 and the drum being preferably of the spring-wound type-such,for instance, as are used on tape-n1easures and one end of the cordprojects out through an opening 37 in the top of the desk and isprovided with a ring 38. By pulling the ring the cord or tape may bepartly unwound from the drum and passed over the open book, the ringbeing then placed on a suitable pin or hook 39 near the opposite end ofthe desktop. When the ring is removed from the pin or hook, the flexiblecord or tape will be immediately rewound by the drum.

Secured to the frame of the desk and slightly spaced inward from thepedestals 10 are vertical partitions 40, which form housings for theside guards or supports 41 of the Writingdesk 42, while the tops of saidpartitions form supports and guides for the writing-desk.

The writing-desk includes a flat rectangular frame 42, the centralportion of which is depressed to form a receptacle 43 for stationery andthe like, and the recess is covered by a hinged top 44, that forms asupporting-surface for the paper for writing. This top 44 has an openingnormally covered by a pivoted plate 46, the opening receiving the ink ofan ink-receptacle 47, that is disposed within the recess 43.

The end portions of the front of the frame 42 are pivotally connected tothe upper end of a front frame 50, the side bars of which have theirlower ends connected by pivotplates 52 to the stationary part of theframe, preferably at a point immediately below the horizontal plane ofthe lower stationary shelf 15. To the end bars of the frame 50 aresecured the side guards 41, which slide in the housing-spaces betweenthe partitions 40 and the inner faces of the pedestals 10, while theopposite ends of the frame 42 rideon top of said partitions 40, theguards 41 serving as additional counterweights to hold the writing-deskin closed position or in the position shown in Fig. 3 and serving alsoto maintain the desk in the open position shown in Fig. 4 in accordancewith the shifting of the weight of the guards from side to side of thevertical flange of the fulcrumplates 52. The writing-desk is held fromexcessive outward movement by engagement of a pin 50, carried by therear portion of the frame 42, with the inner face of one of thecross-bars 11 of the desk-frame.

In assembling the members of the desk the corner-posts are preferablyheld in place by means of hollow bolts 51, which also form receivers orholders for the shanks of the deskcasters, so that the latter cannotwork loose.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is 1. Thecombination in a desk, of a main frame, pivot members carried thereby,the top of the frame being arranged on a curved line struck from thecenter of such pivots, an adjustable top section, arms mounted on suchpivots and secured to the top section, a rack carried by the main frame,and a pawl carried by the top section and engaging said rack.

2. The combination in a desk, of the pedestalmembers, acurved partitionconnecting the same and forming the top of the main portion of theframe, an adjustable top section, pivoted arms carrying said topsection, racks carried by the partition, a rock-shaft, pawls carried bythe rock-shaft and engaging the racks, and means for operating saidrock-shaft.

3. The combination with a main frame having a curved top portion, ofpivot-bolts carried by the frame, arms mounted on the pivotbolts, a topsection secured to the pivot-arms and having its lower face curved tocorrespond to the curvature of the frame, a rack carried by the frame, arock-shaft, a pawl arranged on the rock-shaft and engaging the rack, anarm on said rock-shaft, and a rod secured to the arm and having anoperating knob or han dle arranged at the front of the top section.

4. In a device of the class specified, the combination with the mainframe, including pedestals, of partitions or supports arranged betweenthe pedestals, awriting-table frame, and a pivoted carrying-frametherefor, the writing-frame being supported by the guides or partitions,and portions of the carrying-frame being housed between said guides orsupports and the pedestals.

5. The combination in a desk, of a main frame including pedestals oruprights, partitions between said pedestals and forming housings, aWriting-desk frame guided on top of the partitions, and asupporting-frame having a pivotal connection with the main frame andwith the writing-desk frame.

6. In apparatus of the class described, the combination with a mainframe, of auxiliary partitions or guides carried by said frame, a

pivotaHy-mounted frame for the support of In testimony that I claim theforegoing as the Writing-desk frame, and a writing-desk my own I havehereto affixed my signature in frame pivotally mounted on thesupportingthe presence of two Witnesses.

frame, said writing-desk frame when in closed EDMUND HIGGINS. 5 positionresting on the partitions, and when Witnesses:

in open position being carried by said sup- ALEXANDER R. MACKENZIE,

porting-frame. WILLIAM E. HULET'L.

